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10 Players the 49ers Should Watch for 2018 NFL Free Agency

By Peter Panacy

November 2, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; St. Louis Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson (22) celebrates during the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. The Rams defeated the 49ers 13-10. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
November 2, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; St. Louis Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson (22) celebrates during the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. The Rams defeated the 49ers 13-10. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 28, 2014; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; New York Jets inside linebacker David Harris (52) sacks Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) in the second half at Sun Life Stadium. The Jets defeated Miami 37-24. Mandatory Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 28, 2014; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; New York Jets inside linebacker David Harris (52) sacks Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) in the second half at Sun Life Stadium. The Jets defeated Miami 37-24. Mandatory Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 7: Linebacker David Harris

2017 Team: New York Jets

Here’s an out-of-the-box thought — targeting New York Jets linebacker David Harris.

Sure, Harris will be 34 years old when free agency kicks off in 2018. And that’s not ideally the age a team would want a linebacker to be at, especially the rebuilding 49ers.

But hear me out.

Harris has remained more than productive, even on the wrong side of 30. He’s missed just one regular-season game dating back to 2009 and still led the Jets in tackles last season (62).

The 6-foot-2 linebacker offers nothing in the pass rush. Those days are behind him. But he’s still solid against the run and has excellent coverage skills — an 80.2 pass-coverage grade last year, according to Pro Football Focus.

One should expect some drop off this season and surely in 2018. But the veteran savvy and poise still make Harris a reasonable depth option to reinforce a questionable linebacker corps in San Francisco.